Samuel russell



(No Model.)

S. RUSSELL.

ELECTRIC PRIMER. N0. 319,627. PatentedJung 9,1885.

N. Pneus, Pew-ummm www, 9.a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL RUSSELL, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE A MERTOAN ELECTRIC ARMS AND AMMUNITI ON COMPANY, OF NEVT YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC PRIMER.

tilJQlGEECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,627, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed November 29, ISS/1. (No model.)

To all whom, it may 0011.061117/ Be it known that I, SAMUEL Rossini., a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Primers for Electric Cartridges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cartridges to be discharged by electricity, either by the passage IO of an electric current adapted to heat to incandescence a conducting-wire or by a spark passing from one terminal to another.

My Patent No. 307,071, dated October 2l, 1884, describes a cartridge to be fired by an f5 electric current provided with a conductingpin extending from the center of the base toward the front of the charge, insulated from the base by being inclosed in a tubular sheath,

and connected at its front end to a platinum 2O wire, and with a conducting-strip of metal connected with the other end of the platinum wire, extcndingback outside of the insulatingsheath, and joining the metallic base of the Shell.

My present invention has for its object to improve the construction of the electric firing device or primer, to the end that it may be constructed complete before being inserted in the cartridge, and in order to enable it to be sold independently of the cartridge-shells as a separate article of manufacture.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinal mid-section of a cartridge provided with my improved primer. Fig. 2 is a similar section of a cartridge-shell with the pri mer partly inserted,the primer being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal mid section of the primer removed. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the front end thereof. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the rear end thereof; and Fig. 6 is a section of a shell, illustrating a modification.

All the figures are drawn to a magnified scale.

Let A designate the cartridge-shell, of which a is the metallic base, and b t-he neck turned in centrally therefrom.

' B is my improved primer. (Shown best in Figs. 2 and 3.) This primer consists of a central metallic pin, c, a tubulaisheath, d, of insulating material, surrounding said pin, and a 5o met-allie tube, e, surrounding said sheath. A

piece ofslcnder plati num wi re., f, or other highresistance comluciior, such as carbon, is fastened atonc end l'o the front end of the pin c, and

at the other end to the front portion ofthe tube c. The rear portion, c', ofthe tnbc c is made 53 of somewhat larger diameter and is slightly coned, as seen best in Fig. 2.

This device I call an electric primer.77 It is complete in itself and applicable to any cartridge-shellthatismadetotit. Bothprimcrs 6o and shells will be made in standard sizes and be sold separately, being put together by the user. To apply the pri mer to the shell, it 1s only necessary to insert it through the base of the shell, as shown in Fig. 2, pressing it forward into place. Its enlarged base portion c wedges thus tightly into the neck b, and holds the forward portion of the primer in correct position in the shell. The shell will then b e charged with powder and shot, whereupon 1t 7o is ready for use.

The method of manufacturing this primer, which I consider preferable, is to form the metal pins c c and tubes e c in quantities by l processes now well known, and to make the sheaths d d of any suitable plast-ic or fibrous substance-such, for instance, as vulcanized fiber-and to first press the pins into their sheaths and then press the shcaths into the meta-ltubes. rlhclatteraremade very slight-ly So conical, andthe sheaths are made so tight a f1t that considerable pressure is required to force them in. After being thus put together the platinum wire issoldercd to the pin and tube.

It will be observed that in my present invention the metal conducting-strip on the outside of the sheath in my said patent is replaced by the tube e, which has the same electrical function, but differs mechanically from the 9o strip in that it incloses and embraces the sheath, making the primer a device complete -in itsel f.

The modification shown in Fig. (i is a primer designed Ifor firing the charge of powder by the passage of an electricspark. The construction is the same as shown in Fig. 3, except that the platinum wire f is omitted and the end of the pin is caused to project beyond the sheath. The spark then passes between the roo end of the pin andthe end of the tube7 igniting the intervening powder. rl`his moditication in its specific feat-ure ot' firing by a spark forms no part of my present invention, being here introduced merely to illustrate the. scope of my generic claim to the separate electric primer. lts specific features are claimed in another application executed by me this day, to be iled simultaneously herewith, application No. 149,158, iled November 29, 18S-L I make no claim in this application to any thiner shown in my said previous patent, N0. 307,071.

I claim as my inventionl. An electric primer consist ing, essentially, ofa central pin olconduet ine' material, atubular insulating-shcath surrounding said pin,and a metallic tube inelosiagr and tightly embrac ing said sheath, extending to the l'ront end thereof', and leavingr said pin exposed aty both ends, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

2. An electric primer' made distinct from and separable from and inscrtible in a eartridge-shell, consistingl ola central conducting pin, a tubular insulating'sheath surrounding said pin, and a metallic tube inelosing and tightly embraci ng' said sheath and leaving both ends ot` said vsheath and pin exposed, substan tially as Set forth.

3. An electric primer consisting, essentially, ofa central metallic pin, a tubularinsulatingsheath surrounding said pin, and a slightlyconieal metallic tube forced over and tightly inelosing` said sheath, leaving both ends of both sheath and pin exposed, substantially as set forth.

An electric primer for tiring` by incandescence, consisting ot'a central metallic pin, a tubular insulatingsheath surrminding the same, a metal tube inclosinit;` said sheath, and a high-resistance conductorjoined at one end to the front of said pin and at its other end to said tube, substantially as set forth.

A cartridge shell ha.\fn` Y a metallic base combined vwith a separable elect rie primer, li, the latter consisting elan outer metallic tube7 c, in electrical connection with said metallic base, a tubular insulatingsaeath, (l, a central metallic pin, c, and al higlrresislanr-e wire, j', substantially as set l'ortn.

(i. A cart ridgesheli, A, having a metallic base, and au inturned neel", l). in combination with asnparablcelect rient primi-EV., ig. con. structed substantially as descrilufd, and having a slightly-conical enlargement, c', at its base tightly litt-ing` said neck, substantially as Set forth.l

ln witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence ot' two subscribing,v Witnesses.

. SAMUEL RUSSELL.

1\\f'itnesses: i

AirrnUu C. Fmsuu, .l trium' CoNNu'r'r. 

